It’s a tragic truth that bullying and suicide often go together. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “We know that bullying behavior and suicide-related behavior are closely related. This means youth who report any involvement with bullying behavior are more likely to report high levels of suicide-related behavior than youth who do not report any involvement with bullying behavior.”
The statistics are alarming. Studies conducted by Yale University show that 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 percent have attempted it. Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims. There’s a Wikipedia page that lists multiple “suicides attributed to bullying,” and it will break your heart.
Children and teens have plenty to deal with these days without being bullied. No child should feel so hopeless and unloved that self-harm seems the only recourse available to them. Kids need and deserve responsible adults and mentors in their corner. We can’t wait for them to ask for help because, in many cases, that’s not an option. Rather, we must be alert and watchful for signs of online and in-person bullying.
Here’s what to look for, according to StopBullying.gov:
- Unexplainable injuries
- Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
- Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
- Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
- Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
- Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
- Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
- Feelings of helplessness or decreased self-esteem
- Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
If you know of a child suffering from bullying, take action and intervene immediately. Don’t ignore it; don’t assume kids will work it out without adult help. You may be that young person’s last chance for help.
